Pipe Tool

ABSTRACT

A pipe tool comprises a head mounted on a shaft. The head has a primary channel having a circular profile of a primary channel diameter and a secondary channel having a circular profile of a secondary channel diameter. The secondary channel diameter is smaller than the primary channel diameter. The head has an intermediate wall having an intermediate wall outside surface defining an inside boundary of the primary channel, and the intermediate wall has an intermediate wall inside surface defining an outside boundary of the secondary channel. An intermediate wall gap passes between the primary channel and the secondary channel. An intermediate wall outside corner is disposed on the intermediate wall gap. An outside wall has an outside wall inside surface bounding the external periphery of the primary channel.

This application claims priority from provisional application No. 61/278,854 having a filing date of Oct. 13, 2009 entitled Portable Multi-Diameter Polishing Tool by inventors Thomas C. Luu and Ken C. Luu, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of pipe tools.

DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART

Plumbing is an essential part of human civilization and relies on pipes. Pipes are typically connected together after polishing their ends, sanding their ends or otherwise abrading or cleaning the ends. When pipes are not prepared, they may be prone to leakage. Therefore, it is common industry practice to finish the pipe ends for improved fit between pipes and between pipes and coupling members such as junctions or valves.

Pipe ends frequently need to be finished or polished for a good fit with coupling members. A variety of pipe end polishing apparatus has been described in the prior art. Gardner in U.S. Pat. No. 5,038,525 issued Aug. 13, 1991 describes a Pipe Polishing Apparatus and Method the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The polishing apparatus has doors that are biased to receive a pipe. The pipe fits on a cradle that is attached to the doors. When the pipe is received within the cradle, the pipe is coaxial with the axis of rotation of the power tool shaft. The power tool can be a drill as shown in the drawings.

Palley in U.S. Pat. No. 2,749,680 issued Jun. 12, 1956 provides for an Abrading Tool, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The abrading tool described uses a spindle with that longitudinal slot an abrading strip that is inserted into the slot. The abrading strip is configured in a roll configuration. Hartinger in U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,202, issued Apr. 30, 1968, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, provides for a solder fitting cleaning tool that provides abrasive material inserted into a slot and wrapped around a sleeve. Wells in U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,185 issued Apr. 15, 1975, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, entitled Abrading Tool describes a tool that captures an abrading strip on two pairs of slots.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to improve upon the prior art pipe tools.

A pipe tool comprises a head mounted on a shaft. The head has a primary channel having a circular profile of a primary channel diameter and a secondary channel having a circular profile of a secondary channel diameter. The secondary channel diameter is smaller than the primary channel diameter. The head has an intermediate wall having an intermediate wall outside surface defining an inside boundary of the primary channel, and the intermediate wall has an intermediate wall inside surface defining an outside boundary of the secondary channel. An intermediate wall gap passes between the primary channel and the secondary channel. An intermediate wall outside corner is disposed on the intermediate wall gap. An outside wall has an outside wall inside surface bounding the external periphery of the primary channel.

An inside post has an inside post outside surface, and the inside post outside surface has a circular profile of an inside post diameter. The inside post diameter is smaller than the primary channel diameter, and the inside post outside surface defines an inside boundary of the secondary channel.

The intermediate wall gap is formed by drilling away a portion of the intermediate wall. The pipe tool has an abrasion strip disposed on the intermediate wall, and the abrasion strip is preferably caught on an intermediate wall inside corner and optionally another corner. The intermediate wall inside corner protrudes from an intermediate wall terminal surface. The pipe tool has intermediate wall gap with a circular profile. A pair of intermediate wall terminal surfaces are preferably arc shaped, forming a portion of the circular profile.

An outside wall front surface is formed on the outside wall, and the outside wall front surface is relatively flat and orthogonal to the outside wall inside surface and orthogonal to the outside wall outside surface. The pipe tool has an intermediate wall front surface formed on the intermediate wall, and the intermediate wall front surface is relatively flat and orthogonal to the intermediate wall inside surface and orthogonal to the intermediate wall outside surface. An inside post front surface is relatively flat and orthogonal to the inside post outside surface. An abrasion strip is preferably disposed on the intermediate wall, and the abrasion strip is preferably caught on the intermediate wall outside corner.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of the present invention showing the different sections of the walls.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention as a user would see the tool during use.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of the tool with the strip inserted.

FIG. 4 is a side view cross-section diagram the tool.

FIG. 5 is a diagram of the tool with the double folded strip inserted.

The following call out list of elements can be useful in referencing the element numbers of the drawings.

-   20 Outside Wall -   21 Outside Wall Outside Surface -   22 Outside Wall Inside Surface -   28 Outside Wall Front Surface -   30 Intermediate Wall -   31 Intermediate Wall Outside Surface -   32 Intermediate Wall Inside Surface -   33 Intermediate Wall Outside Corner -   34 Intermediate Wall Terminal Surface -   35 Intermediate Wall Gap -   36 Intermediate Wall Inside Corner -   38 Intermediate Wall Front Surface -   40 Inside Post -   41 Inside Post Outside Surface -   48 Inside Post Front Surface -   60 Primary Channel -   70 Secondary Channel -   80 Abrasion Strip

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention has a primary channel 60 and a secondary channel 70 located on a head of the device. The head is mounted on a shaft and the head can be machined from a piece of plastic, or molded to shape. The primary channel 60 is located outside and surrounding a secondary channel 70. The primary channel 60 is circular in shape for fitting a circular pipe. The secondary channel 70 is also circular shaped for fitting to a circular pipe. The primary channel 60 receives a pipe of circular cross-section that fits within the primary channel. The secondary channel 70 also receives a pipe of circular cross-section that fits within the secondary channel.

The outside wall 20 has an outside wall outside surface 21 and an outside wall inside surface 22. The outside wall front surface 28 is preferably flat. The intermediate wall 30 has an intermediate wall outside surface 31 and an intermediate wall inside surface 32. The intermediate wall has an intermediate wall outside corner 33 and an intermediate wall terminal surface 34 at an intermediate wall gap 35. An intermediate wall inside corner 36 is formed adjacent the intermediate wall gap. The intermediate wall front surface 38 can be at the same level as the outside wall front surface.

Inside the bounds of the intermediate wall is an inside post 40 having an inside post outside surface 41 and an inside post front surface 48. The primary channel 60 is formed between the intermediate wall outside surface and the outside wall inside surface. The secondary channel is formed between the intermediate wall inside surface and the inside post outside surface. The inside post is optionally hollow.

The abrasion strip is held at the intermediate wall gap 35. The intermediate wall gap 35 has a distance for allowing insertion of an abrasion strip. The abrasion strip catches on the corners of the intermediate wall gap 35, namely at the intermediate wall outside corner 33 and the intermediate wall inside corner 36. It is preferred that the intermediate wall outside corner 33 protrude from an intermediate wall terminal surface 34 to allow catching of an abrasion strip.

The intermediate wall gap 35 is preferably formed by drilling from the top surface downward so that the terminal surface 34 has an arc shaped profile corresponding with the external diameter of the drill. During use, the abrasion strip on the intermediate wall gap 35 drags along the exterior surface of the intermediate wall, namely the intermediate wall outside surface 31. The abrasion strip on the intermediate wall outside surface 31 contacts with an internal surface of a pipe such that the internal diameter of the pipe matches the intermediate wall outside surface where the external diameter of the intermediate wall is less than the internal diameter of the pipe.

The abrasion strip preferably also drags along the intermediate wall inside surface 32 for abrasion finishing or polishing the outside surface of the pipe. In this case, the outside diameter of the pipe is less than the inside diameter of the intermediate wall.

Practically speaking, the same pipe tool can be used for finishing or polishing multiple diameters, namely a first larger inside surface of a pipe and a second smaller outside surface of a pipe. Working with a single pipe may require more than one pipe tool. The pipe tools are preferably a set of multiple pipe tools having multiple diameters.

Although the head portion of the device, namely the: outside wall 20, outside wall outside surface 21, outside wall inside surface 22, outside wall front surface 28, intermediate wall 30, intermediate wall outside surface 31, intermediate wall inside surface 32, intermediate wall outside corner 33, intermediate wall terminal surface 34, intermediate wall gap 35, intermediate wall inside corner 36, intermediate wall front surface 38, inside post 40, inside post outside surface 41, inside post front surface 48, primary channel 60, secondary channel 70, and abrasion strip 80 appear basically aligned coaxial along a central axis of rotation of the invention, the best mode is to have a slight angle for the shaft so that a warbling effect is created when spinning which relates to retaining the strip within the housing of the head. The angle between the shaft and the head can be from zero to 30° depending upon the application required.

In practical usage, the sanded strip or abrasion strip 80 is inserted or slipped into the primary channel and secondary channel bridging and passing through the intermediate wall gap. The strip preferably protrudes from the head of the device. The sanded strip has a tendency to remain straight, and is biased into a curved configuration as seen in FIG. 3 after traveling around the pipe end. The curved biasing retains the strip 80 within the channels. It is preferred to fold the strip 80 twice. The strip is typically single-sided with a smooth back in which case the strip should be folded in half first according to FIG. 4 so that the strip is now double-sided. The strip is then folded in half again. The strip has a resilient spring restoring tendency which presses it against the pipe surface. The twice folded strip can be reversed in orientation, and folded backward to allow four uses of the twice folded strip.

While the presently preferred forms of the invention been shown and described, and several modifications thereof discussed, persons skilled in this art will readily appreciate that various additional changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined and differentiated by the following claims. 

1. A pipe tool comprising a head mounted on a shaft, wherein the head comprises: a. a primary channel having a circular profile of a primary channel diameter; b. a secondary channel having a circular profile of a secondary channel diameter, wherein the secondary channel diameter is smaller than the primary channel diameter; c. an intermediate wall having an intermediate wall outside surface defining an inside boundary of the primary channel, wherein the intermediate wall has an intermediate wall inside surface defining an outside boundary of the secondary channel; d. an intermediate wall gap passing between the primary channel and the secondary channel; e. an intermediate wall outside corner disposed on the intermediate wall gap; f. an outside wall having an outside wall inside surface bounding the external periphery of the primary channel; g. an inside post having an inside post outside surface, wherein the inside post outside surface has a circular profile of an inside post diameter, wherein the inside post diameter is smaller than the primary channel diameter, wherein the inside post outside surface defines an inside boundary of the secondary channel.
 2. The pipe tool of claim 1, wherein the intermediate wall gap is formed by drilling away a portion of the intermediate wall.
 3. The pipe tool of claim 1, further comprising an abrasion strip disposed on the intermediate wall, wherein the abrasion strip is caught on an intermediate wall inside corner, wherein the intermediate wall inside corner protrudes from an intermediate wall terminal surface.
 4. The pipe tool of claim 1, wherein the intermediate wall gap has a circular profile, wherein a pair of intermediate wall terminal surfaces are arc shaped, forming a portion of the circular profile.
 5. The pipe tool of claim 1, further comprising an outside wall front surface formed on the outside wall, wherein the outside wall front surface is relatively flat and orthogonal to the outside wall inside surface and orthogonal to the outside wall outside surface.
 6. The pipe tool of claim 1, further comprising an intermediate wall front surface formed on the intermediate wall, wherein the intermediate wall front surface is relatively flat and orthogonal to the intermediate wall inside surface and orthogonal to the intermediate wall outside surface.
 7. The pipe tool of claim 1, further comprising an inside post front surface, wherein the inside post front surface is relatively flat and orthogonal to the inside post outside surface.
 8. The pipe tool of claim 1, further comprising an abrasion strip disposed on the intermediate wall, wherein the abrasion strip is caught on the intermediate wall outside corner.
 9. The pipe tool of claim 8, wherein the intermediate wall gap is formed by drilling away a portion of the intermediate wall.
 10. The pipe tool of claim 8, further comprising an abrasion strip disposed on the intermediate wall, wherein the abrasion strip is caught on an intermediate wall inside corner, wherein the intermediate wall inside corner protrudes from an intermediate wall terminal surface.
 11. The pipe tool of claim 8, wherein the intermediate wall gap has a circular profile, wherein a pair of intermediate wall terminal surfaces are arc shaped, forming a portion of the circular profile.
 12. The pipe tool of claim 8, further comprising an outside wall front surface formed on the outside wall, wherein the outside wall front surface is relatively flat and orthogonal to the outside wall inside surface and orthogonal to the outside wall outside surface.
 13. The pipe tool of claim 8, further comprising an intermediate wall front surface formed on the intermediate wall, wherein the intermediate wall front surface is relatively flat and orthogonal to the intermediate wall inside surface and orthogonal to the intermediate wall outside surface.
 14. The pipe tool of claim 8, further comprising an inside post front surface, wherein the inside post front surface is relatively flat and orthogonal to the inside post outside surface.
 15. The pipe tool of claim 8, further comprising an outside wall front surface formed on the outside wall, wherein the outside wall front surface is relatively flat and orthogonal to the outside wall inside surface and orthogonal to the outside wall outside surface; further comprising an intermediate wall front surface formed on the intermediate wall, wherein the intermediate wall front surface is relatively flat and orthogonal to the intermediate wall inside surface and orthogonal to the intermediate wall outside surface; further comprising an inside post front surface, wherein the inside post front surface is relatively flat and orthogonal to the inside post outside surface.
 16. The pipe tool of claim 8, further comprising an abrasion strip disposed on the intermediate wall, wherein the abrasion strip is caught on an intermediate wall inside corner, wherein the intermediate wall inside corner protrudes from an intermediate wall terminal surface, wherein the intermediate wall gap has a circular profile, wherein a pair of intermediate wall terminal surfaces are arc shaped, forming a portion of the circular profile. 